


Rocket Launch

by Fulcrumisthebomb



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Genre: Gen, cute fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 05:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2139018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fulcrumisthebomb/pseuds/Fulcrumisthebomb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How did Rocket and Groot meet?<br/>I'm unsure if there's a canon answer for that, so I made up my own.</p><p>Minor'ish spoilers for the movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rocket Launch

The fear smelled different than it ever had. 

It was shortly after his most recent blackout that the explosions started; distant at first, but his keen hearing quickly noted the change in direction and volume. Something  _big_ was coming, and it smelled like pain. Though, to be fair,  _everything_ had the scent of panic, even the blurry tall shapes swathed in white and black.

Predictably, a blast sounded nearby, debris bursting through the wall and pelting his cage hard enough to crack it. While the sound made him quiver from the aftershocks, he felt the first tendril of hope he'd ever experienced when the glass surrounding him cracked. He started at the random web of weakness, tilting his head as he rapidly considered his options.  _Out There_  were the figures with needles and shock collars- but that couldn't be all there was, right? Judging from the screaming, those torturous monsters were getting their own back, and this could be his only chance to escape. 

_Freedom_. Free to stand up straight, free to speak his mind and do what he wanted. Yes! He had to move now, fast, before they noticed.

He rammed the glass with his fist, growling in annoyance when there was no change. Quickly he snatched up the small cup of water, bracing it against the worst of the cracks and bashing it again and again. With a sharp  _crack_ the glass gave way and he rocketed out of the cage, tumbling to the floor in an ungraceful heap. Seconds later he squeaked in surprise as feet hurried into the room; he dove under the nearby table, tucking his tail in carefully as he watched the panicked footsteps passed by, followed by another pair. Then another. The people attached to the feet were the source of the yelling, obscenities mixed with more urgent calls. He laid low, pressing as close as he could to the cool tiles, his hope morphing into a fervent desire to remain unnoticed.

For a time, it looked like he had been forgotten; his rapid breaths slowed to a normal pace as the unfamiliar noises began to fade. The explosions had grown distant again, along with the screaming and running. He gave it another few moments of relative peace before curling his fists, snorting once, then wiggling forward to peek from his hiding place. 

"I am Groot," a voice echoed above him, and he shrieked as hands encircled his shoulders. Tiny fists beat upon the snaking tendrils curling around his body, but his struggles just served to further encase him in the tight embrace. He lashed out, panicked, then froze as something warm and gentle stroked his face. Blinking, he finally glanced up, startled to see someone- something?- completely removed from the terrifying white figures. And- was that a smile?

"Uh." He squirmed again, gasping. "Lemme go!"

"I am Groot," the being replied. Overlaying the repeated words was a lilting voice, high and sharp:  _You are safe now._

"Like hell I am!  _Lemme go!_ "

"I am Groot."  _Please stop_.

"I ain't your  _toy!_ " he yelled, kicking and flailing again. "You got no right to- to hurt me like this!"

"I am Groot?"  _You hurt where? Show me._

He paused, panting from his escape efforts, glaring up at the- tree, that's what it looked like. A damn walking talking  _tree_. "I don't want you to hurt me anymore," he clarified, though something seemed... off. Was this Groot in cahoots with the torturers or no?

Groot shook his head slowly, releasing his grip enough for him to sit comfortably on his arm. The other hand began plucking at his fur, picking out bits of dirt and debris. He swatted the bark-like hand away in irritation, but it returned immediately. 

"I want outta here," he explained slowly, wondering just how much the tree could understand. "If you  _ain't_ working for these assholes, help me out here, huh? Be a pal?"

"I am  _Groot_ ," the tree said triumphantly.  _I am your pal!_

"Yeah, great," he laughed nervously, glancing around them, absently pushing the fingers from tangling in his fur again. 

"I am Groot?"  _What are you called by?_

He flinched; the white figures had called him a variety of names, none of them pleasant. "Let's get going ASAP, then. Wish I had something, though." He held up a hand in a mimicry of a gun. "If you see anything useful, pick it up with those disturbingly long tentacles of yours."

"I  _am_ Groot!"  _I saw something neat in the hallway! Let's see if it's still there._

"Perfect, perfect." He swayed with the tree's steps, far too slow for his liking as they plodded toward the jagged hole in the wall. His entire body was tensed, ready to spring for a weapon or clear route out the second he spotted either. However, Groot paused just outside the room and stooped down, his ropey hand carefully cradling him steady as he rummaged through a pile of clothes on the floor. He shuddered, wrinkling his nose at the increased smell of panic concentrated by the corpse.

"I am Groot."  _Is this what you wanted?_

He crouched, ready to flee as the tree fished up a huge gun, as long as he was tall. But the gun wasn't leveled  _at_ him; it was turned, the handle offered with a giant sweet smile.

His hope evolved into yet another emotion he'd never experienced, something that made his chest feel tight like Groot was squeezing him too hard. He wrapped his hands around the gun, hefting it up and out, testing the balance. "A rocket launcher, eh? This will do nicely."

"I am Groot," the tree grinned.  _It suits you._

"It sure does," he replied, returning the smile as Groot began wandering off down the dim hallway. "Can't wait to test it out- Hey. Yeah. Groot, call me Rocket."

"I am Groot."  _A fitting name for someone so strong._

"I- I am?" Rocket asked, puzzled, then started when loud footsteps began echoing around them. "Watch it- someone's coming!"

Groot raised him to his shoulder, flexing his hands as he planted himself heavily on the floor. " _I am Groot!_ "  _They won't hurt you anymore!_

Rocket didn't have time to reply as he took aim and fired, but he could feel that tight almost-pain in his chest again, and this time it felt even better as Groot roared a challenge.

It felt like  _happiness_.

**Author's Note:**

> Artwork by yours truly.


End file.
